New Survey Reveals Just How Often People Use Their Phones in the Bathroom

In a new survey released today by Houzz, 1,200 homeowners who were planning, in the midst of, or recently completed a master bathroom project weighed in on everything from the number one thing they plan to change, to paint colors, to how often they actually use their phones in the bathroom. While some of the results were what we'd expect—the reigning paint colors were white and gray—others, like how often homeowners admit to texting from the toilet, were more surprising.

The survey found that compared to the 2016 results, mobile usage in the bathroom is up 10 percent. While 54 percent of millennial homeowners (ages 25 to 34) said they browse social media in their bathrooms, only 23 percent of Baby Boomer homeowners (ages 55 or older) reported bathroom browsing. Answering email was the top mobile activity, with 40 percent admitting they check their inbox from the bathroom at least once per week. And think about this the next time your friend texts or calls: Reports of texting (32 percent) and taking phone calls in the bathroom (27 percent) were up 4 and 5 percent from 2016, respectively.

In addition to tracking mobile activity, the survey also asked homeowners about the features they plan to update or recently updated in their bathroom. The top feature to splurge on? Upgrading the shower. Of those renovating their bathrooms, 81 percent said they intend to redo the shower, with more than half planning to make it larger. While showers are definitely in, bathtubs are out: 27 percent planned to remove theirs during the remodel.

How much homeowners ended up spending on their bathroom makeover varied greatly by city. San Franciscans ended up spending the most, paying $34,100 for a major remodel and $15,300 for a minor one. Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore had the next highest renovation costs. And where is most of this money going? No surprise here, 42 percent said they plan to splurge on the shower.